Stratum Resource post, NEM and ESC, Good for Joints & Bones…and the Earth!

Today, we celebrate the 47th annual Earth Day! The foundation of our company was built on the principle of sustainability. ESM was developed out of a vision to find the best possible way to use the eggshell in its entirety, and from that, NEM® and ESC® were born.

Their story begins in the Midwestern heartland, where one of the most power-packed food sources is created from nature: the egg. Many eggs move from the farm to egg-breaking facilities, where the center protein white and yolk are separated out for use in baked goods, mayonnaise, ice cream and other packaged products. In past years, for the shell, this was where it ended – headed for the landfill. And we’re not talking about a small amount here; we’re talking upwards of 600,000 tons of shells per year. That was a massive, never-ending addition to our landfills, which are a thorn in our American-side – something we’d drastically like to reduce.

One day someone shed a light upon this discarded, never-ending supply of whole-food material and realized that there may lie within a more valuable resource than once thought. They were right. While the Egg is chocked full of healthy protein, it turns out that it’s not just what’s on the inside that counts… in those protective outer shell layers lies a whole world of nutrients – some that may surprise you. Scientists dissected it, inspected it, and analyzed its constituents. More was revealed than just a discarded little shell. It turned out that the exterior hard shell was an ultra-pure source of calcium; a calcium source much lower in heavy metals than other sources. And just inside of this hard shell, was the eggshell membrane.

This membrane consists of collagen and other important proteins, as well as glycosaminoglycans such as chondroitin and hyaluronic acid – the key building blocks for our joints which have the important role of keeping our skeletal systems fluid, moving, functioning as they should.* The membrane is a natural, effective combination of exactly what our joints need to thrive, created by none other than nature itself. This membrane is what we now know and utilize as NEM®, found in supplement products throughout the world. A reassuring tidbit is that we know exactly where the shells come from. We are able to trace the eggshells clear back to their humble Midwestern farm roots.

NEM® and ESC® were born out of a desire to find additional value in eggshells left over from the egg products industry. To add to their environmentally-friendly checklist, the only byproduct of their natural manufacturing process is steam. To sum things up, a massive amount of eggshells are diverted from entering the landfill, put to use for the good of people, and the environment is not harmed in the manufacturing process – creating a win-win-win situation. Learn more about NEM®.